Directed by the “golden trio” of the franchise—director Ishirō Honda, special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube—Monster Zero (1965), originally titled Invasion of Astro-Monster in Japan, is a landmark entry that fully embraced the “Space Age” aesthetic of the 1960s. It is also notable for being a co-production between Toho and U.S. producers, featuring an American lead actor.